AJC > Sports > Columnists > Archives > 2006 > October > 23 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USFalcons lack an identity
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Mark Bradley
Flowery Branch — The Associated Press, an outlet not known for hyperbole, suggested in its account that the hairbreadth victory over Pittsburgh could be “a defining game” for the Falcons. The hope here is that it was, not because this correspondent has turned into a raging homer but because, in light of Sunday’s epic, he’s strapped to define just what the Falcons are.
Through five games they’d constructed the NFL’s best rushing attack and its worst passing offense. Against the reigning champs they threw it so expertly that CBS’ Phil Simms was opining that this was how the Falcons will play from now on. The trouble with such a pronouncement is the Falcons tend to change the way they play abruptly.
For four games they defended so fiercely that they yielded only one touchdown. Over the past two games they’ve been torched for eight touchdowns and 897 yards. Yes, the prized defensive line has been hurting, and yes, the competition has gotten tougher, but isn’t that a fairly egregious plunge? Is this sudden weakness real, or is it a two-week blip?
And that’s the easier question. At this point absolutely nobody knows what to make of this offense. As Jim Mora said Monday: “You strive for 100 percent balance, and we were [pre-Pittsburgh] as far out of balance as possible. We’re trying to get a little closer.”
Earlier he’d said: “We’re going to stick with the run [as a point of emphasis] and pound it.” And there’s nothing wrong with that. Good running teams tend to be good teams, period. Good running teams should find passing easier simply because defenses must cheat toward the line. That truism made the last-in-the-league passing ranking even harder to fathom. Could nobody on this roster get open? Had Michael Vick, who passed for nearly 3,000 yards in his first season as a starter, forgotten how to spin a spiral?
Turns out he hadn’t. Turns out Michael Jenkins and Ashley Lelie can do nice some things downfield. (Roddy White, by way of contrast, might need to be confined to the sideline.) But when a team throws it so poorly for five games and then torches a defense like Pittsburgh’s, the disinterested party’s first reaction isn’t to go all goggle-eyed but to wonder, “Where was that all along?”
Mora couldn’t really say. Admitting it was a cliché, he said: “Sometimes a defense dictates what you do. Sometimes it’s there and sometimes it’s not.” That much is undeniable. Still, it’s nonetheless true that the best teams — New England, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis — have a signature. They play pretty much the same way every time out. The Falcons, who openly aspire to such brand-name status, haven’t yet branded their product.
The Pittsburgh game proved there’s no reason the Falcons can’t stand in physically against a big-time opponent and do all the things a big-time NFL team needs to do. What’s as yet unknowable is whether they’ll continue to do such things as a matter of course, as opposed to waiting for Vick to get so frustrated he uses HBO as his suggestion box.
With or without John Abraham — who’s fast becoming the football equivalent of Nick Esasky, who played nine games for the Braves before being forever lost to vertigo — this is a team of playoff-level assets. Two months from now, seeing the Falcons beat somebody good shouldn’t constitute a surprise. They won’t win every game, but they should win most, and never should they look as feeble as they did nine days ago against the Giants.
In the NFL, anybody can play well on a given Sunday. The trick is to play well most every Sunday. The trick is to play so well so often that the way you play becomes as indelible as your logo. For that to happen, the Falcons must first define their terms — and themselves.
Permalink | Comments (28) | Post your comment | Categories: Mark Bradley
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By First Down
October 23, 2006 10:36 PM | Link to this
Sunday was an impressive victory but these Falcons remain consistently inconsistent. The defense looked unstoppable the first few weeks yet the last two games it has resembled the defense of last year where no lead was ever safe. Our offense struggled the last few weeks but came out guns-a-blazin’ on Sunday. Was it because Knapp feared for his job? Was Vick trying to prove his skills to the media? Was it that Jim Mora & Co. got tired of answering the same questions? Whatever it was, I hope this coaching staff continues the same offensive attack into the remaining games. One thing we know for sure is that you must have some level of passing attack to win against strong defenses. One cannot live on NCAA adaptations in the NFL. Additionally, opposing defenses tend not to stack the line as often when an offense proves it can beat you through the air. I can only hope that they have learned this lesson for the last time.
By toocoldscorpio
October 23, 2006 10:47 PM | Link to this
Lets hope the coaching staff has learned something and keeps doing what they did Sunday
By No sell out
October 23, 2006 11:18 PM | Link to this
PLEASE READ IF YOU WERE AT THE GAME OR HAVE SEASON TICKETS AND COULDN’T MAKE IT
What a game to watch. Offensive fireworks…a live atmospehere…controversial “endings” (twice)…receivers making catches…linemen holding blocks in passing situations (1 sack)…a qb showing what he CAN do (hopefully more often)…
And I just couldn’t bring myself to enjoy it. As I looked around the Dome, I have never been more disgusted with a group of fans (not “them”… we do this crap all the time). I’m guessing there were 15-20,000 Steelers fans there (obviously, I have no concrete idea of how many Pittsburgh fans were really there, but I would actually guess more than that).
Some of you in attendance may have wondered to yourself, “How did all of these people get tickets to OUR stadium?” I’ll tell you how… We have a reputation for being a horrible sports town. Maybe this is why. It is absolutely pathetic how many people obviously sold tickets (or gave them away)that ended up in Steelers fans hands.
Is our team Super Bowl bound? Probably not. Have we been competitive for several years now? Yes.
Want to shed the image that Atlanta deserves (and in my opinion, we do deserve this stigma)? Show up to games when you have a winner on the field. Go to Braves playoff games for heaven’s sakes. At the very least, if you don’t want to go, put your ticket in the hands of a fan of the home team!
Me and my friends have 7 tickets together. One of us couldn’t make it. I also have a friend that is a Steelers fan. There is no way in hell I was going to give him the opportunity to attend that game. But one of you did. He bought his ticket on eBay, barely over face value.
I apologize for the preaching, but you people cost me my enjoyment of a very entertaining game. I can’t imagine how angry I would be if we lost and I had to listen to all those people with the towels on the way out. As I sat there, not sure if we could win a game like that, all I could think about was whether I would have to listen to obnoxious visiting fans gloat on the way out.
STOP SELLING YOUR TICKETS TO OPPOSING FANS. You ever try to get tickets in Pittsburgh, Philly… heck, anywhere up north? There is no way 20,000 Atlanta fans could go into Giant stadium and watch them play the Giants OR the Jets. Yet everytime a team with a big following plays here, I almost feel like the minority.
Until this changes, expect to keep being identified as college fans (and I love college football).
Anyway, I guess I should say something about football. Great win. Much needed win, hope the offense can keep clicking like that.
By gdg73
October 23, 2006 11:28 PM | Link to this
As far as the offense goes, when the offensive line blocks effectively, Vick can be just as good as any QB in the league. That fact was proven yesterday against a damn good defense. The blitz was also picked up perfectly by the backs as well. It’s funny to me that noone ever mentions how terrible P. Manning and T. Brady look when their safe haven (the pocket) is invaded by the defense. I guess Vick is held to a different standard and is supposed to perform super-human feats when he encouters the same set of circumstances. I remember following this team every since the early 1980’s when the team had an identity. They were known as the sorriest team this side of Tampa Bay. They would occassionally play over their heads on one Sunday and look like a JV team for the next three or four games. This guy is doing things for this franchise no QB or player has ever done for this team. His mere presence gives this team a chance every Sunday, just like on yesterday. We have a superstar in Atlanta and don’t know how to appreciate him. It’s not like we’ve had many.
As far as the defense, they just cannot get completely healthy. Abraham needs to suck it up and play. J. Williams needs to see more time on defense. The team is going to need him sooner than later based on Webster’s recent play. Webster plays his best when the pass rush is in full effect. When it’s not, he gets exposed, plain and simple. I like the move to get Hartwell on the field. He is what the defense needs at that MLB position. With that being said, Brooking needs to hit the bench in nickel situations. Brooking cannot cover backs out of the backfield and does not know how to blitz.
By Just Another White Guy
October 23, 2006 11:52 PM | Link to this
Will everybody just get over the “Atlanta is a horrible sports town” angst? Geez, it’s like trying to be one of the popular kids in high school.
Pittsburgh has a long tradition of very good football. They have legions of fans in nearly every city who want to see “their” team. Many of those fans grew up watching the Steelers on television. Good for them.
Atlanta has a long tradition of mostly bad football. You will not find a buch of fans in other cities (say, Cincinnati this weekend) because few people in other cities have had any reason to be Falcons fans over the past 25 years.
Give me 25 years of excellence, and you’ll get a lot more loyal fan base. In the mean time, leave the angst to the teenagers and celebrate when the Falcons pull out a win despite a significant cheering section for the visiting team.
By jarrodmon
October 24, 2006 12:11 AM | Link to this
Atlanta is Yankeeville. People come here by the millions because we are kinder, warmer, and provide a better quality of life. So naturally when their hometown team comes to play, the Pittsburgh, New York, etc fan turn out in force to watch their team. The Falcons are still getting their money. Why whine?
OF COURSE you wouldn’t get 20,000 of our fans at Green Bay or Cincinnati. WE DON’T MOVE UP THERE. They live in our town because we have better lives than they do. If they want to spend $200 to watch their team lose and their QB get knocked out, I say put out the welcome mat.
By Good Fans but not fools
October 24, 2006 12:17 AM | Link to this
Let’s be real, in this economy and a yahoo wants to give you 250 per ticket, why not recoup some of your investment. Heck the NFL makes its real money off TV anyhow, and the players talking smack don’t give freaking refunds when they stink up the joint. I am a loyal ticket holder and the temptation to sell was very strong but my heart won over my brain as I sit here now with 10 freaking bucks in my pocket. Not to mention this blind loyalty for Webster Mora has, everybody in the freaking building knows Webster sucks even his teammates. Its going to take one of them blowing up when he gives up yet another 3rd and 10 to get him removed. This guy has to have something on Mora, this is one Donatell or hell even Blank should step in on. This is freaking unacceptable and this guy has the nerve to say he has played well all year. Man if thats a successful scheme sign me up, I can stand 15 yards off a guy and still get beat downfield every time. This is the crap that makes you question Mora and his leadership abilities.
By No sell out
October 24, 2006 12:23 AM | Link to this
White guy,
I am part of the “terrible sports town” crowd.
Sorry, but I have the right to be angry with my fellow fans. Don’t speak to me like I’m an outsider looking in.
Steelers fans are every where… some of them have even been to Pittsburgh. They are great fans, but I saw what I saw.
If we had a losing product on the field, I would NEVER call them to the carpet. I wouldn’t support a team that wasn’t committed either. But we have won more games than we have lost lately. That is actually an accomplishment in the NFL.
I can criticize my team, my team’s opponent, and our fans.
By the way… 25 years of excellence??? Look at the record books friend. Remember most of the 80’s? I know, I know… Bubby Brister had it going there for a while. Remember half of the 90’s? The 70’s were your decade. Maybe this can be too, but winning a single Super Bowl (lately) is not continuing your legacy. Ask Baltimore, Tampa Bay, and St. Louis.
You can talk down to me because your team has rings, but that doesn’t mean anything to me, because I’m just trying to get my fellow fans to show up for big… no, huge games.
By kenny d
October 24, 2006 12:58 AM | Link to this
pittsburgh is just one of those teams, just like in college football, where the fan base travels well. because of their success and popularity during the 1970s, they have a huge fan base throughout the country. there were less teams in the 1970s, thus why there are so many fans all over the country rooting for the steelers. you ever wonder why the steelers are the national game virtually every week on either abc, cbs, espn, nbc, or fox. i used to wonder and get real annoyed with it myself until i checked out the television ratings. check out their television ratings compared to the rest of the NFL. it does not matter where the steelers play, the stadium almost always gets filled up by fans from the opposing team, even in places like new york, chicago, dallas, and philly. it is just like the yankees in baseball, notre dame in football, kentucky in basketball. just look at pittsburgh. what else do they have in that town? terrible baseball. long, hard, cold winters. they are constantly hit with the threat that the penguins are going to relocate. there has been a drastic loss of jobs due to the closure of countless mines and mills. the steelers give them hope and a reason to live in that town. here in the ATL, we have the falcons, braves, thrashers, uga, tech, nascar, hawks, great golf, the masters, a great multicultural town, savannah down the road. but the ATL is a better sports town than Linda Cohn and the test of the useless ESPN nerds would have the rest of the country believe. Remember when Linda Cohn for some perverse reason would make a point every night to bash this town but then have the nerve to go on the radio and tell us to go to the ESPN Zone. last year’s super bowl was essentially a home game for the steelers because of all the fans that were there. it is the same phenomenon that you see with the cowgirls, which drives me absolutley crazy more so than the steelers fan because the steelers fan is always more humble, tough and just overall far less obnoxious, abrasive, braggadocious, and bandwagonish than the cowgirls fans who seem to disappear for years when the team is terrible before they rear their ugly heads again once they get good. there was a point to all of that verbal diarahea before i started rambling.
the offense does not really need an identity. the offensive identity should simply be that they do whatever they have to do to win a game. if they have to run for 400 yards and only pass for 50, then that is fine. if they have to throw for 350 and run for only 50, then that is fine as well. if they throw for 225 and run for 130 yards, then that is a-okay as well. just do what it takes. balance is great but often overrated.
maybe someone on defense needs to go off on the coaches like MV7 went off on the coaches last week. it seemed to get the attention of the coaches and forced them to make the changes that were needed. MV7’s little rants forced the coaches to trust their QB and put their faith in him to execute a far more diverse game plan. the same needs to happen with the defense. the DBS and LBs can no longer play what seems like 25 yards off the receivers. it is bizarre. the defense does not blitz because it trusts the DLINE to get there without a blitz. BUT DOES ANYONE ELSE FIND IT BIZARRE THAT YOU CAN HAVE A DEFENSE THAT NEVER BLITZES, SOMEHOW HAVE RECEIVERS AND TIGHT ENDS OPEN ALL OVER THE PLACE DOWN THE FIELD? HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN? IF YOU ONLY HAVE A FOUR MAN PASS RUSH, YOU WOULD THINK THAT THE OTHER 7 HAVE THE OFFENSE IN LOCKDOWN. BUT I GUESS I AM WRONG ABOUT THAT.
in order for DHALL and the rest of these
By Black Boy
October 24, 2006 03:53 AM | Link to this
Kenny D..Im right with u buddy,all the way..
I figured that if anyone would speakup and out about it would be,The Law Man,or D.Hall..The only person on D who does speak out and up is Mr.Kerney..
I don’t see the prevent Defense and all the gapping holes it brings as something u would do most of the time..This is the only thing Donatell knows..
I think he and Knapp will be the downfall of Mora..With all of the high priced free agents that were brought in here,the past 2 years,Blank and McKay are making a statement to Mora to win the big one now!!!
If he has a disappointing knockout in the playoffs we will then see heads roll..If Mora won’t do nothing with his sorry assistants,then maybe,Blank should do something with him…
By Bench Webster
October 24, 2006 04:53 AM | Link to this
Mora, we have watched this guy get torched since your and his arrival. He is darn near a victim on every third down conversion. Heck, he stays injured and if I am not mistaken he said he has a stress fracture in his foot. Jimmy Williams looks like a beast aside from the physical prowess he maintains over Webster, he has the speed to actually not have to give 10 to 15 yard cushions. Why does the media not call this guy out, this BS is mind-blowing. Should be one of the top questions posed to Mora every week. I am sure the Safeties are happy about Mora calling them out to protect his boy. I guess its going to take this guy blowing a ballgame, one in which if you look at how the NFC is shaping up, the Falcons can’t afford. Already a division loss to the Saints and a conference loss to the G-men could loom large in the scope of things. Aren’t these guys striving to run the table, ala 1998? Do they not seek homefield advantage in the playoffs? If Webster gives us our best chance to win then we are totally F*#@ED!
By KB
October 24, 2006 05:36 AM | Link to this
Vick underappreciated? Give me a break. Every time you turn on the set, it’s Vick, Vick, Vick. He led his team to a mediocre 3-2 season going into Sunday’s game. Undeniably a great athlete, is he a true leader? Only time will tell. Knapp may need to look for another job or totally revamp his playbook.
By Captain ATL
October 24, 2006 06:50 AM | Link to this
I agree completely with kenny D. Atlanta fans have to get past this whole loserville moniker that others will ofcourse put on us to feel better about their own towns.
Due to historical and cultural reasons Atlanta being in the deep south was much smaller and poorer than these other towns (with the exception maybe of Dallas) at the start of pro sports organizing. Thus they have a much longer history more tradition and more loyal fans. Rankin Smith didn’t help any either.
But Atlanta is not a rest on your laurels gloat about the past type of city like those up north. Atlanta is a city with much more to offer in the present and future than any of those places. Economy that makes Forbes and Fortune writers salivate, unparalled housing market,our muscians dominate the charts, better weather, and according to even my northern friends better looking women. So stop feeling sorry for yourselves long enough to get to the game on time and cheer without Kerney telling u to.
That being said. I think we might wind up seeing the Falcons go Back more to the rush against Cincinnati. There D is very good against the pass very suspect against a good run team (New England,the only team to rack up many points against got most their yards on the ground) I still think they should use the pass to help set up the run though.
Webster is awful. If not for being able to pick on him The steeler QBs would not have passed better than Vick and Falcons had an easy victory!
By Steve
October 24, 2006 07:59 AM | Link to this
The difference this game was that Vick used a little more touch in his passes and Crump caught ‘em. If Crump has a bad game, our passing game does not exist. Roddy White and Jenkins still dropped most of theirs. Ashley looked pretty good. He should definitely replace Roddy as the first string receiver. Can you imagine how good Vick would look if we had receivers that would do what it takes to catch a ball? I watch other teams and all of their receivers are better than our best. We need to seriously improve the wide receivers’ coaching staff and get someone who can teach these guys how to go and get the ball. With Vick’s accuracy, it will seldom fall into your hands.
By Jim O
October 24, 2006 08:02 AM | Link to this
it’s amazing how much the falcons are like tech - great defense one game, awful the next. rushing fantastic in some games, and they don’t show up the next week. lastly, the qb’s are very similar in the passing game, generally bad! yes, a great pass once in a while, but not consistent.
By Jim O
October 24, 2006 08:06 AM | Link to this
it’s amazing how much the falcons are like tech - great defense one game, awful the next. rushing fantastic in some games, and they don’t show up the next week. lastly, the qb’s are very similar in the passing game, generally bad! yes, a great pass once in a while, but not consistent.
By First Down
October 24, 2006 09:03 AM | Link to this
No sell out: Time to quit bellyaching about a SELLOUT at the Ga Dome. Sorry pal but neither Ticketmaster nor individuals re-selling tickets require buyers to disclose who they route for before selling to them. Atlanta is, has been, and always will be a transient town populated by individuals from around the world. We don’t have 3-4 generations of fans like Pittsburgh, Chicago, NY, Green Bay, Philly, and others that have owned season tickets for 60+ years. Be happy that the Ga Dome is sold out for the rest of the year and you are not watching football with 30,000 of your closest friends. Besides, the Atlanta fans showed tremendous support against the Steelers. I know because I was there screaming my lungs out for the Falcons.
By First Down
October 24, 2006 09:13 AM | Link to this
Sports radio is reporting this morning that John Abraham is out for the season and will require surgery to repair his groin. This is quite a blow but should not come as any major surprise given Abraham’s history. At least the other guys know they will have to play the remainder of the year without him.
By Craig Miller
October 24, 2006 09:42 AM | Link to this
The trick is to be able to both run and pass well. Then teams can’t key in on either one. And then you can tailor your game plan to the weaknesses of the defenses you are going against.
By JJ Falcon for Life
October 24, 2006 11:01 AM | Link to this
I have grown up cheering for the falcons and remember some of the great players like Kuykendall, Joel Williams, Bartkowski, Lynn Cain,Alfreds Jenkins & Jackson, et al. One thing that has repeatedly occurred over the years is visiting teams fans coming into Atlanta and making it seem like a home game for their team. Of course our mild weather has to do with it, but that’s not nearly the whole reason. If our stadium is sold out just how did that many of their fans get tickets? It is because our ticket holders did not believe that we could beat the Steelers, and felt that it was a good week to recoup some of their investment. If we can be honest for a moment that is exactly the reason! Do you remember a few years ago right after Arthur bought the team, Tampa fans did the same thing to us and he vowed it would never happen again. That’s when he sold the upper level seats for $10.00 so average Joe’s like me could attend w/o breaking the family budget. Now of course the tickets have gone back up but we’re still selling out. All it takes is for those of us who are fortunate enough to have tickets to care a little bit more about who we let have them, no matter what the cost! Great game team! Let’s open up that same playbook every week! P.S. The defense needs to improve so that we don’t have to count on a 50+ yard field goal to win!
By Falconator
October 24, 2006 11:14 AM | Link to this
Before we get too excited, this game didn’t define anything;everyone seems to forget that the Steelers would have won had it not been for the false start penalty with 8 seconds to go; the defensive backs suck and if they perform this way against C. Palmer, Can you say BLOWOUT? I wish J. Mora would put away his little note pad and get into the game; I also wish he would save a little of his positive spin on everything for his next performance review with Arthur.
By KB
October 24, 2006 11:33 AM | Link to this
I agree that J. Webster is on his way out. Thank God R. McKay got J. Williams in the second round for this occasion. If the Falcons don’t feel comfrontable with J. Williams, then you could move Mathis there.
As for Abraham, boy doesn’t he make the Jets decision not to resign him look like a great stroke of wisdom? Abraham is what he is; a great passer who is always hurt. I agree with the Jets on him. He is not worth the money he was asking for the time. I think the Falcons gave him too much money to get him. Mr. McKay has now got to sour the waiver wire and look for a decent defensive linemen to go in his place. This would be a real bummer if the Falcons have up a first round draft pick (which they did) and still did not get J. Williams.
By Jeff
October 24, 2006 12:41 PM | Link to this
Abraham is out yet again. McKay has to shoulder the blame for this one. There have been two questionable free agent acquisitions during the past two years - Hartwell and Abraham. Neither can stay on the field. At least with Hartwell, he didn’t have a history of injuries. Abraham, on the other hand, did. Clearly, the Falcons failed to perform due diligence.
By Nick
October 24, 2006 12:51 PM | Link to this
No Sell Out - Amen, amen - It was awful looking around the Dome seeing so many Steelers Fans…. PROTECT THIS HOUSE!!!
By dlmod
October 24, 2006 01:22 PM | Link to this
As long as the shotgun is used @ least 50% of the time the falcons will be explosive. Keep attacking on both sides of the ball and we will be in the playoffs. Mr. Blank has done all he can. We have the talant to attack teams. Play prevent and just run the ball and there will be a new coaching staff in short order…
By Singletary
October 24, 2006 01:28 PM | Link to this
Did you see Jenkins make that catch in the endzone on his back? He worked for it, and he clearly wanted the reception. Lelie is playing well. Everyone on the team seems to be able to catch the ball, except…
By Jeff
October 24, 2006 03:26 PM | Link to this
The link to a good article regarding Vick and the Falcons is below:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=smith_michael&id=2637081
By Najeh Davenpoop
October 24, 2006 06:57 PM | Link to this
This was a pretty whiny article, and reeks of Mark Bradley finding some way to find fault with a team coming off its best win of the season. I don’t think the Falcons’ identity as a running team changed at all. We still ran the ball more than we threw it, we picked up upwards of 150 yards on the ground against one of the league’s premier run defenses, and never in the game did our commitment to the run waver. The only thing different about this game is that Greg Knapp called intelligent pass plays at the right time instead of mind-numbingly stupid pass plays at the wrong time. We are still an undersized, speed-based team that likes to run the football and relies on the big play on offense and defense — that is our identity. If Ed Donatell would be more aggressive more often and Knapp would continue calling games like he did this past Sunday, Vick will be just fine and so will the Falcons.